After freshening up and enjoying a hearty breakfast, Arthur leaned back in his chair and exhaled deeply, feeling the weight of the new day ahead. With a thought, he opened his Inventory window, where the 5,000 goblin corpses retrieved from Kaldor's fallen town still lay silently, waiting to be dealt with.
A determined glint flashed across Arthur's eyes as he stood up and made his way toward the **Summoning Portal** situated at the heart of his growing territory.
The crystalline structure hummed softly, a constant reminder of the endless potential it could unleash.
Without hesitation, Arthur reached into his Inventory and removed the massive pile of goblin corpses, releasing them into the space before the portal. They appeared in a massive heap, but before the stench could even begin to spread, the system chimed in with a familiar mechanical prompt:
[Do you want to extract 5,000 goblin corpses?]
"Yes," Arthur answered firmly, his voice cutting through the air.
Immediately, a brilliant glow enveloped the corpses. The pile disintegrated into radiant motes of light that swirled upward like a vortex, feeding into the Summoning Portal's core. The air buzzed with magic, crackling softly around him.
A moment later, another system prompt appeared:
[Congratulations, Lord. You have extracted 5,000 goblin corpses and received the following rewards:]
1. 10,000 Commoner Recruitment Cards
2. 5,000 Bronze Rank Soldier Cards
3. 5,000 Bronze Rank Archer Cards
4. 2,000 Silver Rank Mage Cards
5. 2,000 Silver Rank Assassin Cards
6. 2,000 Silver Rank Cavalry Cards
7. 2,000 Silver Rank Guardian Cards
8. 50,000 units of Stone, Wood, and Iron
9. 5,000 units of Mithril, Monster Stones, Gold, Black Iron, and Stardust
10. 50,000 units of Food and Water
Without wasting a single second, Arthur immediately dumped all the recruitment cards into the Summoning Portal at once, determined to make full use of them.
The system immediately reacted:
[A large number of cards detected. Would you like to spend 500 gold coins to summon them all at once?]
"Yes," Arthur replied without hesitation.
The portal's soft hum grew into a deafening roar as a dazzling array of lights burst forth. It was as if a hundred shooting stars had exploded at once, showering the entire area in brilliant colors. The ground trembled slightly under the sheer volume of summoning magic being unleashed.
In a matter of seconds, thousands of new figures materialized before him — soldiers and civilians alike — blinking in confusion as they looked around their new home.
A small army had appeared in the blink of an eye.
Arthur quickly took control of the situation.
He addressed the new subjects first with a calm but commanding tone, "Welcome to Starblade Territory. Please head toward the residential area for now. You will be guided from there."
He then activated his Communication Ability, his voice reaching Joseph, the appointed overseer of civilian affairs.
"Joseph, we have new arrivals. Please organize them immediately. Explain the situation, the ongoing event, and assign them housing and supplies. Also, identify any professionals among them — blacksmiths, tailors, scholars, healers — and send them to their respective departments."
Joseph's voice replied quickly and enthusiastically through the link, "Understood, my Lord! I will handle everything."
Arthur then turned toward the newly summoned soldiers, who stood at attention, awaiting orders. He nodded in satisfaction at the sight of well-built soldiers, sharp-eyed archers, robed mages, lithe assassins, sturdy cavalrymen, and steadfast guardians — all bearing the marks of fresh recruits, yet brimming with potential.
Using his Communication Ability again, Arthur sent a message to all his commanders.
"We have new recruits. Prepare the military base to receive them. Split them according to their specialization and make sure their basic training starts immediately."
One after another, the commanders confirmed the orders, their voices filled with excitement at the opportunity to strengthen their units even further.
Arthur exhaled softly, watching as the civilians followed the administrative officers toward the residential areas and the soldiers marched toward the military grounds in organized groups.
In just a short morning, Starblade Territory had gained new blood, new strength, and new hope.
"Now I have more hands that can collect even more event stones," Arthur thought with a satisfied smile as he stretched his arms, feeling the pleasant warmth of the morning sun.
After an hour of well-deserved rest and a hearty breakfast, Starblade Territory once again buzzed with vigorous activity.
The subjects moved throughout the interior like a flowing river, eagerly collecting the scattered Emberveil flower stones from every corner of the streets, gardens, and fields. Baskets clinked, laughter echoed, and the air was filled with a warm sense of community and purpose.
Meanwhile, the soldiers and commanders, armed and ready, organized themselves into patrol units and headed outside the protective walls to sweep through the wilderness, gathering even more precious stones and ensuring the surrounding area remained secure.
The entire territory thrummed with life and energy — a vivid testament to how far they had come.
Amidst this bustling scene, Arthur quietly slipped away toward a familiar spot: the grand old tree near the hill, the same one he had claimed yesterday for his impromptu "strategic rest."
He threw himself down lazily at the base of the massive tree, his body sinking into the soft grass, his back pressing comfortably against the rough, ancient bark.
If the tree had any consciousness, it was probably groaning inwardly right now.
_"This damn human again! Can't he find another tree? Look at the sky — it's a beautiful, glorious morning! The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and here he is, slumping against my trunk like a sack of potatoes!"_
Yeah... if trees could think, this one was definitely filing a complaint with Mother Nature.
Arthur leaned lazily against the old tree, the gentle breeze ruffling his hair as he opened his system panel and sent a message.
Arthur: "Hey, doing well, Miss Secretive?"
The reply came faster than lightning.
Arora: "Why should I tell you? You hid your strength from me, you sneaky fox!"
Arthur chuckled softly, imagining her crossing her arms and pouting in frustration.
Arthur: "Me? Sneaky? Please, I'm just naturally humble. Unlike someone who pretended to be weak while actually being a hidden boss, i saw you were 3rd in the event ranking yesterday."
Arora: "Hmph! I can hide it if I want to. You're not allowed!"
Arthur smirked, typing leisurely.
Arthur: "Double standards much, Miss Arora? Should I start calling you Lady Hypocrisy from now on?"
There was a short pause before her indignant reply.
Arora: "Better than being Lord Sneaky!"
Arthur grinned.
Arthur: "Lord Sneaky, huh? At least that sounds mysterious and cool. Yours sounds like an old grumpy lady."
Arora: "Old!? Grumpy!? Arthur, do you have a death wish today?!"
Arthur laughed, not even bothering to hide it now. Nearby subjects gave him curious glances, but he simply waved them off, too entertained to care.
Arthur: "No death wish, just enjoying the free entertainment. By the way, should I call you Granny Arora from now on?"
Arora: "Granny your head! I'm younger than you!"
Arthur smirked even wider.
Arthur: "Oh? Then why are you getting so worked up? Tch tch... temper issues at such a young age... tragic."
He could almost hear her grinding her teeth through the screen.
Arora:"I'm not worked up!! You're impossible!"
Arthur: "Lord Impossible, at your service."
There was a long pause. Arthur waited, grinning.
Finally, Arora replied, her tone noticeably more flustered.
Arora: "Tch! I'm not talking to you anymore! Goodbye!!"
And just like that — no more messages.
Arthur stared at the screen, his grin threatening to split his face.
"Victory achieved," he thought proudly, crossing his arms behind his head and looking up at the clear blue sky.
The old tree creaked softly above him, almost like it was laughing along.
"Friends, huh?" Arthur thought, feeling a rare warmth in his chest.
"Maybe... having someone like her around isn't so bad after all."**
He closed his eyes, the gentle chatter of his bustling territory filling the air, and allowed himself a rare moment of peace.
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